Heart's Desire
by Saint Skitty
Summary: You think you can read these characters like open books… But if you watch closely, you'll realize nothing is as it seems. Who are these cats… and what are their true hearts' desire? (Rated T just in case)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This was actually my first story idea which I came up with after I first read the stories… which was about ten-eleven years ago. Clovertail (although you**

 **don't know her yet) was my only new addition, characterwise, and then suddenly the story fell into place so that's why I'm writing about it now.**

 **Background: ThunderClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan and WindClan have been destroyed after an invasion of the lake and their successors, Nightstar,**

 **Miststar, Breezestar and Moonstar have saved the Clans by bringing them to live by the White River. (I might write a prequel but for now I just liked**

 **the idea of having four Clans derived from the originals living in a new place.) They formed four new Clans by the names of NightClan (from**

 **ThunderClan heritage), MistClan (from Riverclan heritage), BreezeClan (from WindClan heritage), and MoonClan (from ShadowClan heritage).**

* * *

 **NightClan - Allegiances** *sc=she-cat, tc=tomcat

Leader-

Hawkstar tc - a huge tom with black-and-white patched pelt and gray-blue eyes

Deputy-

Leafnose sc - a lithe tortoiseshell with long legs and amber eyes

Medicine Cat-

Sparrowdawn sc - a beautiful light brown tabby with white "mittens" and tailtip and green eyes.

App: Darkpaw tc - a dark gray tom with a small frame, long tail and huge green eyes.

Warriors-

Icewhisker tc - a long-furred white tom with hazel eyes and long legs.

Palemoon tc - a very light-colored cream tom with blue eyes and a black bands on his tail.

Cloudnose sc - A black cat with a distinguished white blaze on her nose and dark brown eyes.

Apprentice: Foxpaw sc - A fluffy russet-furred apprentice with a bushy red tail and blue eyes.

Moonstripe tc - A light gray tabby with black stripes and black spots on his legs, paws and tail.

Apprentice: Rainpaw sc - A dark gray she-cat with dark blue eyes and a silver tail-tip.

Daisyheart sc - a gorgeous light-brown delicate she-cat with a long tail and dark amber eyes.

Apprentice: Snowpaw sc - a pure white she-cat with bright green eyes and a short tail.

Skyleap sc - a tawny-colored she-cat with white speckles on her back and violet eyes.

Ashtail tc - a light gray tom that progressively darkens toward his tail and has dark red eyes.

Apprentice: Cedarpaw tc - a dark brown tom with a massive build and yellow eyes.

Quailfoot sc - a blue-tinged she-cat with a gray undercoat and a silvery-white stripe on her back.

Torncloud tc - a pale brown-white tom with gentle blue eyes and spiky fur.

Redwind tc - a reddish russet tom with dark red eyes and dark brown paws.

Apprentice: Sorrelpaw sc - a tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow-orange eyes and large ears.

Sandfall tc - a sandy-colored brawny tom with wide shoulders and amber eyes.

Bluewing tc- shaggy-furred cream tom with brown ears and paws and piercing blue eyes.

Apprentice: Thunderpaw tc - dark brown tom with stocky build and stubby tail

Pineclaw tc - dark rowan-colored tom with long claws and green eyes

Birchtail tc- dark gray tom with white patches on his tail

Apprentice: Aspenpaw tc - gray and black small tomcat with black eyes

Stormsong sc - silver she-cat with unique light-brown speckles on her ears

Queens-

Lilyfoot - beautiful light brown tabby with blue eyes (mate of Icewhisker and mother to Silverkit and Tigerkit)

Frostpool - white and silver speckled dark-gray she-cat with gray eyes (mate of Palemoon and expecting kits)

Graynose - black she-cat with gray face and hazel eyes (mate of Sandfall and expecting kits)

Mallowfur - cream and brown tabby with amber eyes (mate of Redwind and mother of Minnowkit, Pebblekit and Morningkit)

Elders-

Moss-eye sc - leopard-patterned brown she-cat with electrifying green eyes

Lionfur tc - huge golden tom with dull brown eyes

Maplefoot sc - tortoiseshell she-cat with extremely long tail

* * *

 **Prologue**

The forest is no stranger to vengeance, betrayal, bloodshed. It is witness to every forbidden act. It is home to the black sheep of each Clan. StarClan sees it all and are powerless to stop it. Unless…

A cat crouched over the small pool. She strained to read the wisps of mist, catch a glimpse of a sign. She was bright white, blazing in the darkness of the shadowed grove. She was surrounded by trees, dense and full of soft rustlings. The air was warm and stars twinkled in the night sky. A second cat, a light metallic gray, shining in the light of the full moon pushed through fronds of fern and stepped into the clearing.

"What do you see?" she padded down the rise until she was standing directly across the pond from the other cat.

"It is hard to tell. I see… I see one raindrop about to fall. It will announce the coming of the storm."

"Only one?"

"A traitor. Their impact on the Clans is great. I see your beloved Clan behind them. If they succeed, the Clans shall suffer greatly."

"Then we must warn them. We cannot become vulnerable again… lest we follow the fate of WindClan, ThunderClan, ShadowClan and RiverClan."

"But there is more. It is only one piece of the puzzle… and the future ahead is one none of us can conceive…" The troubled waters swirled until they were pitch black except for one sliver of moonlight. There was but one hope and its light was about to be extinguished forever.

* * *

 **Chapter One: Ambition**

"Sit still, Rainkit!" Stormsong crouched over the dark gray kit, her tongue busily rasping over her. They were in the nursery, a long-abandoned badger set under the roots of a gnarled oak.

"I can do it myself," Rainkit insisted, wriggling away from her mother.

"No you can't. If you could, you'd have done it already." Their argument was interrupted as a light-gray tabby tom poked his head in.

"Rainkit, it's your big day!" he purred. Stormsong looked up to greet her mate and Rainkit was liberated. Taking advantage of the distraction, she darted away quickly. He squeezed into the nursery. "Snowkit, are you ready, too?" The small white kit was nestled against Mallowfur's belly. Ever since her mother, Foxfang had disappeared she had been fussed over endlessly by Mallowfur and Stormsong.

"She will be." Stormsong turned to give Snowkit a thorough washing while Rainkit poked her head outside. The chilly air stung her eyes but she didn't retreat to the warmth of the nursery. She watched excitedly as cats flowed out of their dens endlessly all gathered around the pile of rocks where the deputies and Clan leaders stood. Rainkit ducked back inside.

"Mother, mother! The whole Clan is…" she broke off when she realized Stormsong was too busy fussing over Snowkit. A flicker of resentment flared in Rainkit's belly. She was Stormsong's daughter, not that mewling lump of fur. But Rainkit was too young to recognize the emotion and it died down as Stormsong turned to pick up Rainkit and carry her outside.

"Are they ready?" A massive black-and-white cat called. In the shadows of the rapidly descending evening, Rainkit could barely see his black-colored patches yet she recognized the strength in this cat's shoulders. Stormsong set her down on the grass, still damp from the morning rain.

"Yes, Hawkstar." Rainkit's head shot up. Hawkstar, the leader of NightClan himself! "Who have you chosen for their mentors?"

"You'll see," he assured them. He turned around and with one leap he landed on the top of the Rock-pile.

Suddenly, Rainkit longed to shrink back against Stormsong and curl up in the nursery. The air was too cold, every pair of eyes were eyeing her hungrily and the path to the top of the Rock-pile was long and difficult.

"We are gathered tonight for one of my favorite ceremonies. Stormsong's only kit, Rainkit and Foxfang's beloved daughter, Snowkit are ready to become apprentices. Snowkit, come here."

In the darkness, the little white shape of Snowkit bounded effortlessly up the rocks, a few pebbles crashing down in her wake. Even the other apprentices were surprised. Rainkit quickly planned her own entrance but was startled back into reality by a nudge from Birchtail.

"Pay attention, it'll be your turn next," he whispered. Rainkit felt a thrill run through her and she shivered with anticipation. She tilted her head up to watch the ceremony.

"From this day forward, until you become a warrior," Hawkstar was saying, "you will be known as Snowpaw." Snowpaw licked Hawkstar's shoulder respectfully and he rested his chin on her head. Her eyes were solemn and serious and her composure was perfectly calm and straight and she possessed none of Rainkit's boundless eagerness.

"Daisyheart," Hawkstar rang out. "This is your first apprentice. You are compassionate, caring and loyal. Pass on these virtues and your skills to Snowpaw." Daisyheart scrambled up the rocks to touch noses with her apprentice. Even in the dark, Rainkit could tell she was beautiful. She had light brown tabby fur and dark amber eyes. She lightly leapt to the top of the rocks in two strides.

"I will try my best," she replied, dipping her head to Hawkstar.

"I have no doubts," Hawkstar replied.

"Rainkit, come forward." Immediately, every eligible mentor turned to watch Rainkit, ambition vivid in their eyes. Rainkit quickly found an easy route and climbed up, barely grazing her paws on the stone. However, each boulder was a mountain for the little kit and she reached the top, almost breathless. It was as if it was an initiation to test each kits' determinedness. Impatiently, she bounced on her paws as she waited for Hawkstar to begin.

"Rainkit, from this day forward, until you become a warrior you shall be known as Rainpaw. Moonstripe, you will be mentor to Rainpaw." The evening air chilled Rainpaw's fur, still soft from the nursery and the excitement sent an extra shiver down Rainpaw's spine. Adrenaline pulsed in her paws and she felt like she could run forever.

She scanned the crowd for Moonstripe, spotting a cat with light gray fur sliced through with black stripes and piercing green eyes.

She gazed at the gray tom winding silently up to meet her. His eyes were full of determination and worry and her heart sunk. For the first time, she worried about what would happen if her mentor didn't like her.

"StarClan honors your… determination… struggle against hardship… pass on all you know…" Hawkstar's voice fuzzed behind her as Rainpaw's ears filled with the hum of panic and the bitter taste of anticipation on her tongue.

All her life, since she had opened her eyes, Rainkit thirsted for leadership. Her ambition pulsed in her chest and becoming an apprentice was the first step of her master plan. Her apprenticeship marked the beginning of her life's goal. And every day she would run faster, hunt more, fight harder, and think smarter than any other apprentice. Such was the necessities of being the best. Only the best are rewarded.

Moonstripe touched his nose to hers. "I will teach her all that I have learned," Moonstripe vowed. He led Rainpaw down the rocks as the crowd began to disperse at Hawkstar's dismissal and her misgivings drifted away as well. "Get some good sleep tonight. Tomorrow we start training right away."


	2. Chapter 2

**NightClan - Allegiances**

Leader-

Hawkstar tc - a huge tom with black-and-white patched pelt and gray-blue eyes

Deputy-

Leafnose sc - a lithe tortoiseshell with long legs and amber eyes

Medicine Cat-

Sparrowdawn sc - a beautiful light brown tabby with white "mittens" and tailtip and green eyes.

App: Darkpaw tc - a dark gray tom with a small frame, long tail and huge green eyes.

Warriors-

Icewhisker tc - a long-furred white tom with hazel eyes and long legs.

Palemoon tc - a very light-colored cream tom with blue eyes and a black bands on his tail.

Cloudnose sc - A black cat with a distinguished white blaze on her nose and dark brown eyes.

Apprentice: Foxpaw sc - A fluffy russet-furred apprentice with a bushy red tail and blue eyes.

Moonstripe tc - A light gray tabby with black stripes and black spots on his legs, paws and tail.

Apprentice: Rainpaw sc - A dark gray she-cat with dark blue eyes and a silver tail-tip.

Daisyheart sc - a gorgeous light-brown delicate she-cat with a long tail and dark amber eyes.

Apprentice: Snowpaw sc - a pure white she-cat with bright green eyes and a short tail.

Skyleap sc - a tawny-colored she-cat with white speckles on her back and violet eyes.

Ashtail tc - a light gray tom that progressively darkens toward his tail and has dark red eyes.

Apprentice: Cedarpaw tc - a dark brown tom with a massive build and yellow eyes.

Quailfoot sc - a blue-tinged she-cat with a gray undercoat and a silvery-white stripe on her back.

Torncloud tc - a pale brown-white tom with gentle blue eyes and spiky fur.

Redwind tc - a reddish russet tom with dark red eyes and dark brown paws.

Apprentice: Sorrelpaw sc - a tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow-orange eyes and large ears.

Sandfall tc - a sandy-colored brawny tom with wide shoulders and amber eyes.

Bluewing tc- shaggy-furred cream tom with brown ears and paws and piercing blue eyes.

Apprentice: Thunderpaw tc - dark brown tom with stocky build and stubby tail

Pineclaw tc - dark rowan-colored tom with long claws and green eyes

Birchtail tc- dark gray tom with white patches on his tail

Apprentice: Aspenpaw tc - gray and black small tomcat with black eyes

Stormsong sc - silver she-cat with unique light-brown speckles on her ears

Queens-

Lilyfoot - beautiful light brown tabby with blue eyes (mate of Icewhisker and mother to Silverkit and Tigerkit)

Frostpool - white and silver speckled dark-gray she-cat with gray eyes (mate of Palemoon and expecting kits)

Graynose - black she-cat with gray face and hazel eyes (mate of Sandfall and expecting kits)

Mallowfur - cream and brown tabby with amber eyes (mate of Redwind and mother of Minnowkit, Pebblekit and Morningkit)

Elders-

Moss-eye sc - leopard-patterned brown she-cat with electrifying green eyes

Lionfur tc - huge golden tom with dull brown eyes

Maplefoot sc - tortoiseshell she-cat with extremely long tail

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Invasion**

"Rainpaw! Rainpaw, are you there?" Moonstripe was pacing outside the apprentice's den. The dried leaves crackled under his paws loudly and Rainpaw woke with a start. It was still dark but the horizon was tinged with pink from the slowly rising sun.

"What?" she asked irritably, fluffing up her kit-fur against the biting wind. Leaf-fall wouldn't be here much longer.

Her demeanor instantly changed when she saw Daisyheart and Ashtail behind him with their apprentices.. Moonstripe cast her a sympathetic look over his shoulder. "First day is always hard," he told her. "But you'll soon get used to it."

Training already? But it's the middle of the night! But she bit back the words. Under his breath, Moonstripe muttered: "But Snowpaw's been out for ages."

"I'm sorry," she mewed, embarrassment burning in her cheeks. Moonstripe shook his head.

"Don't worry about it." Rainpaw could detect a different emotion pulsing off of him, one she was familiar with. Anxiety. She knew she shouldn't go sticking her nose into other cats' business but she felt curiosity itch in her paws and her mouth worked subconsciously. _Besides, if it will impact me as a warrior, I need to know…_

Her thoughts were interrupted as Daisyheart spoke. "We'll be showing you the territory today and if we have time, we may be able to hunt on the way back."

"I've already seen the territory," Cedarpaw complained, throwing the two new apprentices a look of contempt.

"Do you want to stay and check the elders for ticks? I can go get Foxpaw and she can come instead." The russet haunches of Cedarpaw's sister were just visible through the tangled tendrils of the elder's den. "We were going along to help them in case of any… trouble." He flicked his ears warningly at Rainpaw and Snowpaw. "Don't scare them." His whisper was little more than a breath which only made Rainpaw listen harder. To her frustration, they didn't say anymore.

"This is the Camp exit," Daisyheart mewed, gesturing with her tail to a long path of bare earth. All the generations of paws must have worn down the grass. The forest outside the camp was thick and dense but farther on it grew sparser and the air was fresher.

"Mouse dung!" Rainpaw snagged her tail on some thorns and sucked in her breath at the piercing pain. Moonstripe turned around and freed her ensnared tail with practiced ease.

"Careful," he murmured gently. "The forest floor here isn't as cleared away as it is in Camp."

"Am I your first apprentice?" she asked, assuming a mild tone and experimentally flicking her tail.

"No." He quickened his pace to walk just behind Ashtail and Cedarpaw. His outer shell hardened again and he dropped his eyes. He obviously didn't want to talk about it.

She hurried to catch up but Daisyheart pulled them to a stop. "This is the Mossy-rock." She gestured to a large boulder in the middle of a small stream. "When you'll need to collect bedding, this is the best spot." _Ugh,_ Rainpaw shuddered. _That means we'll be clearing out bedding, too._

They picked up pace again, heading along the border of a collection of twoleg dens. "This is Twolegplace," Ashtail announced. "And this is the Twoleg's border." He gestured to a long boundary-wall of wood. "It's a 'fence'."

"Twolegs are too lazy to mark their borders so they build this to keep us out," Cedarpaw explained, puffing out his chest like StarClan likes him best. Snowpaw rolled her eyes and looked at Rainpaw as though prompting her to agree. Her face visibly fell when Rainpaw just shrugged.

"You really should be more kind to her. It must be hard, growing up with no mother," Moonstripe meowed from behind her.

"But it's more than that… Minnowkit ignores her all the time and Snowpaw doesn't care." Minnowkit was Snowpaw's favorite playmate before they became apprentices. Moonstripe just shook his head. _It's hard enough trekking through this forsaken forest without having to worry about Snowpaw's feelings!_

"This is the White River!" Daisyheart was far ahead of them and Rainpaw could hear crashing water. They all hurried to catch up. As they burst through the trees, Rainpaw saw the source of the sound. The river was huge, too far for even Hawkstar to jump. The water was foaming white and cut through the earth like a snake. The forest borderline was behind them and Rainpaw could see for many taillengths.

"Across the river, living on those hills, is BreezeClan. You'll be able to get a whiff when the river is quieter," Ashtail told them. Next to BreezeClan, though you won't be able to see MoonClan's territory, lies the edge of a mountain. They hunt among the scree against the side."

"The Twolegplace ends here," Cedarpaw added. They had been following the borderline of the Twolegplace and it seemed even the river was too much for them. The fence had abruptly turned and the Twoleg dens continued along the length of the river.

"And over here is MistClan," Moonstripe put in. Bounding away from the direction of the Twolegplace, he gestured toward where the river widened until it gave way into marshland.

"Can we go over there?" Snowpaw asked, following him. Daisyheart and Ashtail exchanged a glance.

"We shouldn't. It's too far and you still need to see the rest of the territory," Moonstripe meowed.

"Okay, where next?" Snowpaw asked, oblivious to the sudden tension between the warriors.

"The Ancient's Tree," Moonstripe decided. "Follow me." He led them back into the forest but they weren't walking long before the tom stopped before a massive oak. It was practically coated in knotholes and towered above the other trees. And there were scratch marks permanently etched into the wood. "These are cat marks."He gestured towards the scrapes in the wood.

Rainpaw looked doubtfully at the massive claw marks.

"Forgive him for being vague," Ashtail mewed. "These are the marks of TigerClan."

Snowpaw darted forward and ran a tiny paw along one of the scratches. "What happened to them?"

"We don't know," Moonstripe admitted. "I think Twolegs happened."

"You don't know what else has happened!" a raspy voice sounded from behind them. Rainpaw whirled around to see a tawny she-cat panting hard.

"Skyleap! Are you okay?"

"We shouldn't have ignored the trouble on the border. MistClan has invaded. Finchstar himself is leading the attack."

"What?" Daisyheart screeched, outraged.

"We need reinforcements. Finchstar sent Blacktail and Fawnspot after me, thank goodness I found you."

"Snowpaw, Rainpaw, hide here. We'll come get you." Ashtail pointed with his nose to a low-lying holly bush. "Cedarpaw, are you ready?" Fur on end, they crouched under the bush in fear as the rest of the patrol pounded back to Camp.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" Snowpaw whispered, shivering in fear.

"Shush!" Rainpaw pressed a paw against her muzzle, her ears twitching. "I can hear someone."

Pawsteps pounded into the clearing. "Fox dung, I was sure she went this way." A powerful stench hit Rainpaw and she wrinkled her nose. She looked at Snowpaw and saw alarm in her eyes. MistClan!

"You don't think she went to ask BreezeClan for help?"

"Let's go back and tell Finchstar."

"No, wait… I smell fear. NightClan is nearby." Rainpaw squeezed her eyes shut. Snowpaw was trembling beside her. StarClan, please, lead them away! A nose suddenly struck through the leaves, followed by a face. Snowpaw shrieked in sheer terror.

"Well, what have we here?"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: for real feels, listen to Shattered by Trading Yesterday**

Rainpaw backed away as far as she could, ignoring the spiky leaves entangling themselves in her fur. She was numb with shock. She couldn't die like this! She flexed her claws, forgetting what they were for and she bared her teeth, forgetting what she could do. The dry soil uncomfortably rubbed against the pads of her paws and crusted around her fur as she sank to the ground.

"They're just kits, Blacktail. Leave them alone." That was a she-cat's voice, cutting through the terror from the apprentices. They didn't have time to be indignant about being under-credited.

"They're not just kits. They're NightClan kits. Which means NightClan will want them back." He backed out from the bush to talk to his Clanmate, leaving Rainpaw gaping in shock.

"Quick, run!" Snowpaw jostled Rainpaw out with a hard nudge. Rainpaw could suddenly feel the sharp touch to her right shoulder and slowly she could hear the sounds of the forest, the stench of MistClan trickled back to her and she could see everything clearly once more. As Rainpaw came to her senses, she turned without thinking and pelted away as fast as she could. She didn't get far before she was panting hard but her muscles didn't tire as the adrenaline poured through them like hot blood. Snowpaw whirled around to ensure Rainpaw's escape, her unsheathed claws briefly connecting with the huge tom's left eye. Blacktail picked her up by her nape and slammed her against a tree. Snowpaw lay, winded, a trickle of blood escaping from her mouth. Rainpaw heard the yowl of pain, the sickening thud and then the pattering of pawsteps as the cats began to race after Rainpaw.

"Snowpaw!" Rainpaw yowled, looking at the tiny, unmoving shape. She skidded to a halt and tried to leap back but the other she-cat blocked her way. She was pale brown and speckled with white dapples. This must be Fawnspot. "No!"

There was no way she could get to her without being caught. As much as her heart protested, she turned and ran into the forest, leaving Snowpaw in the paws of their enemies. The last thing she saw were silver claws glinting so close to her she could feel her eyelashes shiver. It paled behind her and the greens of the leaves and plants blurred together until all she could see was the dry soil spreading out endlessly before her.

* * *

At last Rainpaw allowed herself to slow down. If her heart hadn't been beating so fast she knew it would have sank into the guilt building in her belly, gouging her out until she was hollow. She knew she had done the wrong thing… but she was almost dizzy with relief she had gotten away.

She stumbled along the barely-familiar trail, not allowing herself to linger on the memory. _What happens if you're not an honorable warrior?_ She pushed it away and stopped to drink in the scents around her. She caught a whiff of Stormsong's scent and she turned with renewed energy toward the Camp.

As she hurried along, she took in the towering trees blotting out the sun and the gentle fronds of ferns bobbing in the breeze. The babble of water sounded somewhere around her. She could hear a bird singing far above her and could smell the clear, crisp air in the grass grew lush and soft beneath her paws and the sunlight warmed her pelt until she felt drowsy. Exhausted from her flight she almost slumped down in fatigue until she heard the piercing yowl. The peaceful scene vanished abruptly. She could see trampled bracken and holes in the shrubs that circled the Camp. She allowed herself to look over the rise of the sloping hill into the clearing.

NightClan was overrun with screeching cats. Rainpaw watched helplessly as Sorrelpaw and Redwind were surrounded by three burly warriors against the medicine den. Hawkstar was defending the nursery alongside Mallowfur. The elder's den was torn apart and Moss-eye was fighting on behalf of her denmates who were too old to fight back and pawed feebly at the blows. Stormsong was bleeding heavily slumped to one side against the old ash tree and Birchtail was fighting like LionClan to protect her from the increasing tide of cats. Where was Moonstripe? She couldn't go down into Camp or she would be caught but she couldn't just leave. Where were Skyleap and the rest of the patrol?

Then she heard an unfamiliar battle cry. Lifting her head to the opposite slope she could see Skyleap was leaping into Camp followed by countless other warriors. Moonstripe and Ashtail were with her, but Daisyheart and Cedarpaw weren't there. They must have come straight back and were fighting already. Immediately, Hawkstar broke away from his tussle near the apprentice's den to meet her. Rainpaw jumped down and followed in his wake through the cats.

"BreezeClan has come to help us!" Skyleap panted to a breathless Hawkstar. Rainpaw allowed herself to shrink back as several of MistClan turned tail and fled. She was swept up in the storm of unfamiliar warriors.

"Help!" she squeaked. Moonstripe whirled around. His eyes were huge when he saw her and he rushed over and pressed his nose to her head.

"Rainpaw, what're you- I thought- where's Snowpaw?"

"MistClan got her! Blacktail and Fawnspot."

"Daisyheart, Quailfoot, Icewhisker, go find her," Hawkstar ordered and they didn't pause before hurling themselves into the forest. He turned to Rainpaw. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." _Snowpaw saved me. And I turned my back on her._ She bowed her head, then shook herself. _No, you didn't. You came back and sent warriors after her. There was nothing more you could do._

Her thoughts were interrupted as Hawkstar was ordering the rest of the cats in the clearing. "Moonstripe, take a patrol around the territory… Make sure they're not hiding anywhere. Redwind, flush them out of Camp. Berrystar?"

A beautiful cream she-cat, looking kind of like Daisyheart pushed forward. "That's fine, Hawkstar. Robinpaw, Nightfox? Join Moonstripe." A russet tom and bright black she-cat pushed out from the ranks.

"Rainpaw?" Moonstripe turned around and crouched down to look into her eyes. "Please stay safe. I can't lose another one."

"I will," she murmured, confused but heart aching at the pain in Moonstripe's eyes. "Be careful."

"We'll bring Snowpaw back." Moonstripe licked her ear once. The russet tom apprentice turned to her.

"Don't worry. Everybody will come home safe." His eyes were solemn. Rainpaw didn't have the heart to defend her pride.

 _I wonder what Snowpaw will tell them when she comes back…_ Her claws scored the ground. Her tail lashed in frustration. What if she never became deputy? The realization hit her between the eyes. She turned and sprinted after the patrol. She stopped behind a bush to catch her breath. She would join them once they crossed the border, before they could send her home. _I'll prove myself to all of them that I am worthy… And I want to tell Snowpaw I'm sorry._


End file.
